Title: Only Jesus (Galatians 2:20)
Contents
Title: Only Jesus
Text: Galatians 2:20
For the past year, we have been praying, “Let our cups overflow.” Then, as you look back on the past year, you should think about the grace and blessings you have received. Do you think you have received a lot of grace? Then you should be thankful.
However, there are people who have longed for grace, but have not received much grace. It means something is wrong. Please think for a moment. Where did something go wrong and the flow of God's grace was cut off?
The first thing to think about is whether “my cup” is in the right place. We need to think about whether “my cup” to receive God's grace is clean. If our cup is not clean, God's grace cannot come. That is why we must give up our hearts every day and wash them. We need to empty our hearts every day, wash them daily, and make them new with the blood of Christ every day. We pray the penitential prayer on Sunday mornings, but we have to do the penitential prayer every day. Before going to sleep, you should think about the day, reflect on your actions, and pray a penitential prayer.
We also need to think about whether our cup is strong enough to receive God's grace. When God's grace comes down, the devil and Satan never stand still. Be sure to shake it. Be sure to give the test. If we are shaken by Satan's temptation, we pour out grace. Grace comes down only when our cup becomes a strong cup that does not waver even in these trials. So, if there is no God's grace, you have to look at yourself first.
Third, we must never forget and always remember that the grace given to us comes only through Jesus Christ. Where does God's grace come from? It is given to us only through Jesus Christ. More specifically, when the cross of Jesus is set up in our hearts, grace is to come. The cross is the evidence of the man of God. So, through the cross of Jesus, God gives us grace. No matter how much you pray, no matter how much you ask, grace will not come to you except through the cross of Jesus. You must remember this.
Last Thursday was Christmas. On this day Jesus was born. Who is Jesus?
1. Jesus is the only savior that God sent to save us humans.
So, salvation is only here. There are many people in the world who call themselves saviors. Every religion is crying out for salvation. But the only true way of salvation is Jesus.
2. Jesus is the Lord of life that God sent to mankind.
In John 14:6, "Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me." God sent Jesus to give us life, eternal life. So that whoever believes in me should not perish but have eternal life. Therefore, those who think about human finite life and seek eternal life must seek Jesus. Because that way is the way of life.
3. Jesus is the only Comforter God has sent to us.
Seeing that we humans are living on this earth, living in suffering, and living in suffering, God sent a Comforter, and that person is Jesus. So Jesus came to those who needed comfort. He opened the eyes of the blind, liberated the oppressed, and healed the sick. Jesus is the comforter of God.
rearranged. Our Jesus is the only savior God sent for us humans, the only Lord of life, and the only comforter. This Jesus has come. That day is Christmas. So Christmas is a day of joy.
That Jesus has now come to us. He came to us in a human body. Jesus, who has become our Savior, our Lord, and our comforter, is with us now. You don't know how grateful I am. I don't know how good it is. Amen!!
Now we have to move on to the next question. So what should we do? Today's text is the answer. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. Now that I live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Now that I have died with Christ, I want to live a life of living with Christ. What a good word. However, we need to think more specifically.
[1] Let's live by believing only in Jesus
What we must remember in life is that the only thing we can trust in the world is Jesus. The word “believe” here means to rely on. The only place we can fully depend on for our lives is Jesus.
Everyone, remember. You shouldn't trust people. There is a person you can trust, but that person will inevitably turn into an unreliable person if their own interests or lives are at stake. Older people depend a lot on their children, and in fact, they have no place to depend on them. Because people change over time. People change according to their environment. People change according to their thoughts. So you have to treat people like that, otherwise you will be disappointed. Our parents, how disappointed are we when we depend on our children? “I didn’t know that child would be like that,” and I see him disappointed. How much more can you depend on someone else? But people cannot depend on it, but our Jesus is a place to depend on. Because Jesus is not a man, he is the Son of God.
Also, many people believe in and rely on the material they have. They try to be reassured by relying on the money or material they have saved up. By the way, where do you put that money to be safe? Is it safe to leave it in the bank? Banks are probably the safest. But the bank goes bankrupt. Guys, don't rely on materials. Don't trust the material. Who should I trust and rely on? Only Jesus!
[2] Let's hope and look to Jesus alone and live
Only Jesus is our salvation. Only Jesus is our comforter. Only Jesus can give us life. So, we must believe and depend only on Jesus. Also, we must live with hope only in Jesus. Because only he has the power.
Folks, we must have a wish. You have to have an earnest wish, know that that wish can only come true in Jesus, and put your hope in Jesus. Then what wish do you have? Please think deeply about your wishes. What would you say if God came and said, “Tell me, I will grant your wish.”
Blind Bartimaeus had one wish. His wish was to open his eyes. But how will that wish come true? Knowing that only Jesus has such power, he put his hope in Jesus. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out. Because he has the only chance to make his wish come true. When he was called before Jesus, Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” That is, “What is your wish?” It's a question to ask. Then Bartimaeus replied without delay, “Teacher, I would like to see,” and the answer opened his eyes.
If God asked, “What is your wish?”, what would you say? I bless you to pray with the earnest wishes of your heart. And believe that only Jesus can make that wish come true, and put your hope in Jesus alone.
Today, it is only Jesus who can change my life, make a new home, and make a new country, nation, and society. Our only hope is Jesus. That is why we must always live by shouting, “Jesus is my only hope.” I pray that you will become saints who have hope only in Jesus and live by looking only at Jesus.
[3] Let's love only Jesus and live
Only those who love Jesus and live will not suffer from a lack of love. So, let's always live with a confession of love. How do you confess your love? Let's follow. “Jesus, I love you!” “O LORD, my strength, I love you” Amen!
In confessing this way, we must also practice love in a practical way. How do you love Jesus?
First, we must love the church, the body of Jesus Christ. If you say, “I love Jesus, not the church,” it would be wrong. The church is the body of Christ manifested on this earth. Therefore, to love this church, to pray for the church to prosper, to love the members of the church, and to take good care of them is to love Jesus.
Second, love what Jesus loves. What did Jesus love so much? He loved the human soul. Loved human life. In particular, he loved the poor soul, the soul who had to go to hell. So, to save that soul, He died on the cross and shed blood. If we love Jesus, we should also love the soul whom Jesus loved. That is the way to love the Lord.
[Conclusion] Dear saints,
God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to us. This Jesus is our only savior, the only Lord of life, and our only comforter. Now, we will have to welcome this Jesus and live with it all the time. We must now think of it as “crucifixed with Christ, and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us.” To do this, 1) believe and depend only on Jesus, 2) look and hope only for Jesus, and 3) live by loving only Jesus.
This will be the life of the saints who die and live together with the Lord. Let's look back on 2003 and ask if I really have lived like that. And in 2004, let's try to live like this once. I believe that God's blessings will come to those who make such efforts and struggle, and that grace will come and our cups will overflow. Amen